Feel the Music
by SoaringGryphonProductions
Summary: I haven't seen any stories for the comic 'Fur-Piled' so I thought I'd give it a go. I own no rights, 'Fur-Piled' belongs to Leo Magna but I do own the heavy metal band 'Stone Hornet' warning contains foul language, nudity and sexual content
1. Chapter 1

**Fur-Piled- Feel the Music**

**Chapter 1- Tomorrow's Dream (Black Sabbath)**

It's a late evening at the diner, the regular crowd shuffles in. They talk and laugh and have a good time, yet a new girl came through the doors on that hot summer night. A young she-wolf whom just reached the age of 22 came up and sat in one of the spinning chairs at the counter. She placed a rectangular-shaped guitar case under the seat near her right leg.

Rose, a Jaguar and the owner of the establishment, came up to the visitor holding a fresh brewed pot of coffee, "Hey can I get you anything?" She asked but got no response. The She-wolf was just staring off into space and looking up at the ceiling fans, looking for a song idea. Rose nudged the wolf in the shoulder to get her attention, "excuse me…,"

"AYE?" The wolf gasped, nearly flying out of her pants to the delight of the regulars, "oh…uh…I'll take a double-double," Rose looked at her as if the wolf was from outer space. The wolf shrugged her shoulders, "What?" She asked and sighed with frustration, "this isn't goin' to be easy…I'll take a coffee…two cream, two sugars,"

"Hey this isn't an In-and-Out, punk ass," Ian commented as Rose gave the wolf her cup of coffee and two small containers for cream and sugar. Ian looked over at the she-wolf; it was obvious she wasn't from around the area. She had an exotic look going for her. She had graphite gray fur with a silver underbelly going up to and covering her lower jaw and a big bushy tail.

"Its coffee, you dumbshit," the she-wolf said overhearing the comment Ian made but not bothering to look back at who was talking, "two cream…two sugars, yah get me?" Her hair was dirty brown-blond dreadlocks which looked like a sea anemone made a home on her head. Her ears stood out of her dreads like devil-horns and had a single gold earring on her right ear.

Her eyes were bright and pointed like crystals and looked as warm as honey in a cup of tea. She was wearing a crimson red, loose-fitting hemp long sleeve and shiny black snakeskin spandex leggings with white socks and retro Adidas shoes. The she-wolf slowly turned to get a look at the coyote. It turned out there was a pretty lady under that mass of dreadlocks,

"_Whoa…what a woman_," Ian thought admiring the wolf's exotic looks, "I haven't seen you around here before, what's your name?" Ian asked, the wolf chuckled a light titter that had a slight masculine tone to it but sexy at the same time.

"Yah, just moved to the area from Montreal," She replied back shifting an eye and looking to see the coyote talking to her. Toby's long, bushy tail moved about in all directions, "the name's Toby,"

"Marf? A Canadian in California…the invasion has begun," Husky joked. Ian shook Toby's hand as did the rest of the crew, but the box below her caught her attention thanks to her ADD. Toby, on the other hand, seemed to take it the other way,

"Uh…Ian, my heads up here, not down there," Toby joked with a light grin and a small titter as she was casting her honey-colored eyes down at the slightly shorter Coyote,

"Oh sorry," Ian blushed, Ian was already mated to Tanya but the this wolf was a fox of a lady, "I was looking at that case under you," Toby nodded with understanding although she still gave her the bad eye out of suspicion, "so..Uh…what's in that box anyway?" Toby picked up the case from under her,

"My first love," Toby replied, Ian's fur stood up as if she saw Johnny from 'The Shining' and Husky hid under the table, "relax people, it's my guitar," Toby unlocked the case and pulled out 'Razorblade', her Career Dragon CG31. She ran her hand across the neck and pulled a pick out of her pocket, "other than sex, there is no love quite like music, ya dig?"

Husky came up from under the table and looked at the beautiful instrument, "Oh, I dig where you're coming from," He said admiring her guitar as Toby was adjusting the tuning and thumbing the strings for the perfect sound. Her guitar was her passion. The body had a mother-of-pearl motif of a Chinese dragon with a scalloped neck and everything, "c'mon play something,"

"Sure," Toby replied as a good song came into her head, this guitar she usually saved for big concerts, most of the time she carried a Jackson Soloist with a custom 'Gryphon' motif. She looked at Rose and winked, "let me tell yah, some of the stuff I play, may make some folks feel 'older' than they like to think,"

"Yeah, Keep telling yourself that, Wolfie, and I'll charge you extra for your coffee," Rose said over at the counter, but all in good fun. But Toby didn't want to ruin the atmosphere with her noise, so she put the guitar back in its case to the dismay of her new friends.

"Sigh…maybe later tonight," Toby said grabbing her case by the handle. There was one giant 'Awww' from Ian and Husky, "hey, don't give me that, I've got a gig tonight at the 'Midnight Howl' wanna come?" Ian's eyes lit up at the opportunity, She called up Tanya and Husky dialed up Saetto and Andy, the party was about to begin,

Toby had only been living in the Santa Monica area for two weeks but her band's popularity was through the roof in the gay community. There had never been an all-female metal band in the California Area since L7. Ian arrived with the group to a line half around the block,

Tanya peered up to see if she and her friends were getting any closer to the entrance, "This band must be good if they can get crowds like this," Tanya commented waiting in line like everybody else,

"No kidding you don't get a lot of rock bands in this area," Saetto said looking at a flyer he found attached to a telephone pole, but one name seemed to strike Saetto's interest, "hey Ian, I didn't know you had an older sister,"

Ian looked at the flyer and came to realization, "_So that's where you've been all this time_?" She thought looking at the name of the bass player on the flyer, "It's been a while since I've even spoken to her, humph…punk ass stoner," The group got into the club and pushed their way to the front of the audience,

The band was just setting up for the show. On guitars and backing vocals was the raging Canadian wolf herself, Toby Gayl. On drums was a tough, tomboy panther from Brooklyn, New York that could play as fast and brutal as the devil himself, Raven Pantera.

On bass guitar and backing vocals was Ian's older sister whom she hadn't seen since she started college, Riley 'Sleepy' Yote. She was nicknamed 'Sleepy' because of her knack of falling asleep anytime anywhere. Finally the last member of the band was the love of Toby's life; a beautiful harbor seal from Monterrey Bay named Erica Watters whom had a voice as beautiful as a siren's.

Everyone in the band seemed to fit the look of a heavy metal band. Riley wore a worn-out white shirt with a ripped off collar and sleeves plus black spandex tights. Raven was rough and edgy, wearing spiked wrists a black sports bra and black leather leggings she borrowed from Toby. Erica was wearing her favorite Muschigrell Silverette Bicast leather leggings clinging tight to her thighs with a leather bikini top with fringe.

After making the necessary adjustments to the stage, it was time to party, "Uh…hey, testing one two, OK…we're all set here," Erica said checking the microphone while 'Sleepy' was thumbing a couple notes from her navy-blue Rickenbacker 4003, "Um…we're 'Stone Hornet' and we invite you into our nightmare!"

She went over to Toby and cropped a feel of their rear end and her silky smooth tail, "Lead us off, honey," Erica said into microphone giver her mate a lick on the cheek, Riley nodded to the guitarist as Toby's blood felt warm with lust,

"C'mon girl show 'em what you can do, man…" Riley acknowledged, thumbing and palm-muting a bass solo to her favorite song of all time. Her fingers moved on the strings like a sorceress conjuring up magic with every note from the strings. As soon as she went into the main riff, Toby, Riley, and Raven did their thing playing their instruments with absolute power.

Toby's head banging and pure skill with guitar made her dreadlocks fly in all directions to the delight of the audience. The crowd was blown away by the drums and the heavy sound that was Stone Hornet but it was danceable just like their influence, Black Sabbath. Erica swayed her hips and moved her body to the beat, singing a sweet tone that got her into the band in the first place,

"**Well I'm leaving tomorrow at daybreak**  
**Catch the fastest train around nine**  
**Yes I'm leaving the sorrow and heartache**  
**Before it takes me away from my mind**

**Send me love and I may let you see me**  
**Send me hopes that can spin in my head**  
**But if you really want me to answer**  
**I can only let you know when I'm dead**

**When sadness fills my days**  
**It's time to turn away**  
**And then tomorrow's dreams**  
**Become reality to me**

**So realize I'm much better without you**  
**You're not the one and only thing in my heart**  
**I'll just go back to pretending I'm living**  
**So this time I'm gonna have to depart**,"

"Holy shit, they've got power!" Ian said blown away by the heavy sound. Tanya grabbed Ian by the wrist to dance with the in-crowd. Toby on stage was up to her usual stage antics which often involved sometimes playing her guitar with her teeth and tearing off her shirt in front of the cheering fans, "yeah baby, take it off!" Ian cheered to Toby,

"C'mon girl show me your moves!" Tanya said to her mate. In the heat and sweat of the dance floor, everyone was having a blast. The neon lights flashed and shined on the crowd. It wasn't her style of music, but Ian was certainly enjoying herself dancing the night away with Tanya, Husky and Saetto.

"Thank you…thank you…you peeps have been a kick-ass crowd be sure to uh yeah…be sure to tip your waitress, we'll be back on Thursdays," Erica joked to a laughing audience. As the crowds shuffled out of the club, Riley and Toby were packing their instruments and Erica was wiping the sweat from her brow.

"Hey cool show guys," Ian said to a half-naked wolf and a coyote with her Kurt Cobain style hair. Ian wasn't all too pleased to see her older sister. She looked at Riley and headed out the door, "I have to get going I hope to see you guys whenever…I get the chance…Riley,"

"Hey wait!" Riley said heading towards the door to try to catch Ian, but she had the door slammed in her face, "awww….fuck," Riley groaned. She wanted to make amends with her sister and try to start over. She had a lot of feelings for her sister; she just wanted to try to rebuild their relationship as family.


	2. Chapter 2

**Fur-Piled- Feel the Music**

**Chapter 2- Wildside** **(Mötley Crüe)**

It's been a week since the gig at the Midnight Howl and it seemed like things were returning to normal. The whole band lived in a three-bedroom apartment on the west side of town and equally split the rent and lived a pretty normal life.

Erica the harbor seal was picking up the mail from the front door. Toby was sitting on the couch with Raven, thumbing her guitar while Raven was drumming simple beats on Toby's old college books and Riley was taking a bath.

"It's a whole new day," said Erica clapping her hands a few times happily, "with Raven the Closet Case," she chuckled while sipping her cup of tea. Raven lightly frowned at the joke,

"You lick Toby's toes," Raven said pointing her drum stick at the harbor seal. Erica was a beautiful animal, so much so that even Toby said she could make Aphrodite green with envy, "you eat the peanuts out of Toby's shit, did I ever tell you that?"

"Dude, that's nasty," Toby grimaced in disgust, pushing Raven to the other side of the couch. The three members laughed at the joke as Riley was coming out of the bath wrapped in a white towel, "I love her with all my heart, but that's pushing it,"

Raven was a tough Latina panther born and raised in Red Hook, Brooklyn . She was a fan of wearing skinny jeans and often dressed in a mix of masculine and feminine, like skinny jeans and baggy t-shirts. Her hair was dyed white and styled into ten neat cornrows

"Aww, you're such a tease," Erica said falling into Toby's lap. Raven rolled her eyes and placed her drumsticks on the lamp stand in the corner of the room and picking up a copy of 'To Kill A Mockingbird' by Harper Lee,

"You too, big butt," Toby joked, lightly tapping her in the rear and making Erica giggle. Erica was an active and cheerful girl. She was an avid swimmer (given that she's a harbor seal) and loved to cook. She had silver gray fur, bluish-gray marbling and beautiful green eyes.

She is as tall as Raven at 5'9. Toby and Riley stand around 5'11. Erica is usually easy to get along with, "Hey man, what'd I miss?" Riley said entering the living room to the sight of Erica in Toby's lap, giving her mate a kiss. Riley had sleepy looking eyes.

Her hair went over her eyes and she was pretty lazy to boot, "Sigh…nice," Riley quickly put on a pair of jeans and an old white shirt to join the group on the couch and flipped on the TV. Riley laid back and crossed her legs. She flipped through the channels and it appeared nothing was on,

Erica stood up from the couch with an idea on her mind, The band had been sitting in the apartment all day and there was lot to do around town, "Hey guys, let's get out of this joint, go see the town, yah know what I'm sayin'?"

"Yeah….I'll stay, there's probably a good movie on tonight," Riley said a drowsy, stoner-esque tone. Raven seemed willing to go with Erica as was Toby, but she was still in college and she had an exam coming up so she turned them down.

So it looked to be just Erica and Toby for the evening. It was a hot summer evening, Toby went for an edgy look. Toby wore a tan Claiborne shirt that covered half her rear end and tight blue skinny jeans that hugged her thighs.

Erica was more of an outdoorsy person wearing a tight-fitting green tank top and sand-colored baggy khaki shorts. After a short drive through the hills and streets of town blasting 'Bad Medicine' by Bon Jovi out of the radio, Erica parked her silver 1992 Porsche 944 S2 while Toby paid the meter, putting in two hours for the evening,

The locals were used to seeing lesbians around the area, but not like these. Toby's short dreadlocks made a few heads turn as she and Erica were walking down the street. Toby window shopped at some of the local shops but nothing seemed to fit her interest.

Ian happened to be around that evening with Tanya, "Hey, wassup?" Ian said as Toby came up to the coyote. They did a gangsta' style handshake as a friendship began to form between the two ladies. They had no romantic feeling for each other but it was a couple-to-couple type of relationship,

"Hey Ian," Toby replied and introduced Ian and Tanya to the love of her life, "guys, I don't think we've formerly introduced each other, guys, this is my mate-for-life, Erica," Erica gave the couple a nice little wave before making handshakes,

"Hey, I'm Tanya, nice to meet cha'," the lioness said shaking the seal's hand, "You guys were awesome last week, there are a lot of underground bands around these parts, it's always experimental or folk music, but I never thought a heavy metal band would show up,"

"Well, one group has to break the ice some time," Erica said, happy that she was a part of Toby's band. Like Black Sabbath, the guitarist was the leader in the group, but Riley and Raven were in charge of lyrics. Erica sometimes made artwork and Toby helped mix and organize albums.

"You ladies wanna get something to eat? I'm buyin' if that's fine with you guys," Ian offered, Toby and Erica looked at each other nodded to each other in agreement, "alright, I know just the place," Ian and Tanya led the two girls to the local diner where Toby first met the gang,

"Well, if it isn't the female Tony Iommi," Rose said from the counter as Toby and Erica walked in and looked for a place to sit. Rose caste her eyes on Erica, "Oh, and is this your Lita Ford?" the jaguar joked and Toby introduced her to a chuckling Erica, "ah…a harbor seal, don't get too many around here, most are up in San Fran, my name is Rose,"

"Well, I'm from Monterrey, nice to meet you, Rose," Erica said politely shaking her hand and sitting down with their two new friends. Saetto, Andy and Husky happened to be in that day and it soon turned into one big social gathering,

"Hey ladies, you girls put on a good show last week," Saetto complimented and looked up at the seal, "oh you must be her mate, nice to meet you, I'm Saetto," the group soon went into conversation after some more handshakes, "so what made you guys want to form a band, and why heavy metal of all genres?"

"Well, heavy metal was one of types of music you don't find a lot in the gay community, so we thought, hey? Why not give it a go?" Toby explained sipping on a glass of Coca-Cola, "Black Sabbath is our biggest influence along with others like Phantom Blue and Metallica, heavy and groovy,"

"No kidding you girls got power," Husky complimented, "I hope you guys are staying around town or do you guys tour?" Husky wasn't much of a fan for metal music, but it seemed he could save a spot for 'Stone Hornet'

"Nah, we're doing local gigs, Husky," Erica said between bites of her crispy fish sandwich, "anyway, all of us in the group went to school together, I met Toby sitting in the hallway by her lonesome, just sitting there, thumbing tunes, but she was a diamond in the rough, she was a hidden master," Toby put an arm around Erica's shoulder,

"And you're my shining diamond, honey," Toby flirted kissing the seal on the cheek. Rose stuck her tongue out lightly in disgust to the sappiness she was witnessing, "after that I asked her if she wanted to form a band and everything just well, clicked from there,"

"About a week after that, I brought in Raven and Erica found Riley and our local gigs began, mostly renting bowling alley lanes and playing at small dance clubs, we didn't...fit in very well, and got kicked to the curb a lot but we stuck together," Toby said finishing up the band story,

"Wow, sounds like you guys have been on a rocky road," said Andy, an extremely flamboyant fox, "Saetto has a point too, metal isn't too big around here, but you ladies seem to know how to get the crowds going, do you ladies have any more gigs around here anytime soon?"

"Oh yeah, we've been invited to play at the Halloween Ball this year, should be quite a blast, eh?" Toby said, itching to play even though Halloween wasn't too far away on the calender. Toby was about to pull out her wallet to pay for the food and drinks,

"No, no I got this," Ian said, being the wallet gunslinger and paying before Toby could pull out a twenty, "we're treating you guys, punk ass," Ian gave Toby playful punch in the arm. Toby responded with a playful headlock while their mates chuckled,

Later that evening, everyone went their separate ways, except Tanya, Ian, Toby and Erica, "Ian, Toby and I need to have a little chat with you," Erica said to the coyote. Tanya looked worried, something just didn't feel right as they led Ian to an alleyway. Tanya followed them in case things got out of hand, "Listen, it's about your sister...,"

"I don't want to hear it," Ian snapped at them, turning away from Erica and Toby. Toby sighed and put her hand on Ian's shoulder. She jerked her shoulder away. Toby lightly dipped down and shook her head, this wasn't going to be easy, "I'm not going to go down the same road as her!"

"You may not think so, but in the time she's been with us, she's changed," Toby said trying to convince Ian that Riley was the real deal, "and she wants to rebuild her relationship with you, Ian, so get your head out of your ass and see the light," Toby and Erica went back to their car and left Ian alone, "just talk to her, Ian, it wouldn't hurt...just think about it, a'ight?"

Erica and Toby went back their car and the wolf gave her a small wink before getting in the car, "That was a little forced, Toby, but I think you got to her," Erica said witnessing the moment. Toby nodded and took her place in the passengers seat even though she had a driver's license.

"I just hopes she doesn't look at me differently," Toby replied buckling her seat belt and turning on the radio. 'Serenity' by Godsmack was playing on the local rock radio station, but she was confident Ian might listen to her,

As the silver Porsche sped off into the night, Tanya went up to Ian whom seemed to be thinking about something, but Tanya seemed to be telepathic, "You know, I agree with the she-wolf, it can't hurt to get back in touch with your family, especially when one is willing to help rebuild,"

Later the night, "Hey ladies we're back," Toby said opening the door to find Riley loafing on the couch with Raven and watching 'Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla' on TV, "I got that sampler platter you wanted, Riley, mozzarella sticks, buffalo wings...the works, oh yeah and a mushroom swiss burger for you Raven,"

"Aww sweet, man," Riley said getting up from the couch and picking up huge spread of food. She returned to her spot on the couch and continued watching the monster movie and munching on her food,

Suddenly, the phone rang. Erica went up from the kitchen to answer it, "Hello Watters residence, Erica speaking," Erica said answering the phone, she smiled at who was on the other line, "yeah...yeah, she's right here," She placed the phone on the counter, "Riley, it's for you,"


	3. Chapter 3

**Fur-Piled- Feel the Music**

**Chapter 3- Hush (Deep Purple)********  
**

"Hello...?" Riley said picking up the phone. Her eyes brightened under the hair which covered them over, "whoa! Hey sis, how are yah, man?" the phone conversation lasted for around half an hour, mostly talking about their lives and concluding with an offer to hang out, "yeah...yeah man I'm pretty much free anytime, this afternoon sounds good, at the local coffee shop? Alright, see yah then,"

"Sounds like you got some plans there, big sistah," said Raven cheerfully nudging the bass-player in the arm. She was packing up her books and preparing to head over to the local bus stop for school. Riley had a soft grin on her face slightly showing some of her teeth, but she was excited to finally be able to spend some time with her younger sister. She was asked to go see her at a cafe and talk over a cup of coffee.

"This is great Leo, this will be the first step in you getting things back on track," Erica said from the couch. Erica was also partly the psychologist in the group since she graduated from USC with a double major in educational studies and psychology. Her mate Toby was a graduate from Macgill University, she was a fine arts major. Riley graduated with a degree in criminal justice and Raven is graduating in two months with a degree in computer science.

It was that time of day when Erica and Toby were doing their exercises. Erica, like Toby, was a child from the 80s and she seemed to reflect that in her exercise wear. Erica wore a orange leotard over a black spandex, low back, tank top unitard she used to wear when she attended the local dance academy. Toby kept things simple wearing black basketball shorts and a white t-shirt,

"Alright, I'm headin' out for the evening, I don't know I'll be back, I'll call you when I'm comin' home," Riley informed the group as she headed out the door to meet her sister. Raven soon followed behind to catch a bus for her evening classes. Erica waved them off from the window of the apartment. Toby was so happy to have Erica at her side. She had ever met a more kind and caring person in her life.

"Have fun you two...," Raven joked in a sing-song voice making pelvic thrusts before heading out the door. Toby face palmed while Erica laughed at Raven's joke. Erica shook her head lightly and prepared for her daily exercises with her mate. This was the only thing she didn't look forward to when it came to doing personal business with Erica, but it was for the best.

Toby rolled out the exercise mat placing it not too far from the bed where they got down to business. They started off with toe touches, stretching down to her toes three times and heading back up, "One...two...three...four," Erica counted. Toby followed her and tired to mimic what she was doing.

Toby interrupted the exercise with the news of the day. She put her hands on her hips and lightly leaned back to stretch out a small kink in her back, "Hey sweetie, I got a call from local record company downtown," Erica looked surprised. The band only recorded a small mix tape of their of the band's experiments and instrumentals,

"And?" Erica asked still in the middle of a toe-touching set. Her green eyes seemed interested in what Toby might have to say whether it was good news or bad news. Toby smiled as Erica turned her attention toward the gray she-wolf,

"It looks like 'Stone Hornet' is going have our first album coming out, even though we're only selling locally but it's a good start," Toby said. She had handed in the band's demo tape to a local recording studio and it looked like the employees and operators who worked there liked their stuff.

"Really?" Erica said putting her arms around the neck of her mate and giving her a big kiss on the lips. Her hands were touching the upper part of Toby's back in the middle of her shoulders. Toby smiled as she blood began to warm inside her, "that's great when did all this happen?" she asked. Toby's eyes softened as she told her the rest of the news,

"This morning," She responded happily and still keeping her cool. This was one of the things that really attracted Erica to Toby. The wolf always did her best to stay relaxed even in the tightest situations, but if the time came around Toby could get nasty. She was the type one would like to have watch your back at a bar on the late nights.

"I'm happy for yah," Erica said seductively, her mouth was slightly agape. Toby lightly chuckled. She could feel Erica's warm breath on her skin and it made her feel relaxed inside and in her own sacred milieu.

"Listen here, it's a small step, but a step up none the less for the group," Toby said proudly, "it looks like our group is really starting to go places, yah know what I'm sayin? And it will be all the better with you helping out,"

"Shh...don't say another word," Erica said letting loose her light grip on Toby. Her fingers lightly ran across her mate's chest and she headed toward the bed. Toby smiled and followed her to the bed. Erica moved the sheets over and looked at Toby with a straight face.

Her eyes were filled with lust as slowly and seductively lowered each of the four straps on her leotard. She quickly looked down at each strap as she removed it and looked back up at her mate to which her straight face slowly turned into a small seductive grin.

Her naked body were exposed to her mate and she pulled her exercise clothes off. Toby smiled and crossed her arms to pull off her shirt and lay it cleanly on the chair next to the bed and removed her shorts, placing them next to the shirt. Erica sat in the bed halfway under the sheets and waited on her mate,

Erica's body was gray and smooth with dark bluish-gray spots on the sides of her hips, triceps and back. Erica had a perfect body, not too buxom and not too flat, just perfect. Toby moved the sheets over and joined her mate in bed. The two lovers laughed and made love to each other with grace and harmony. Erica's soft lips touched Toby's as the wolfs hands touched the seal's skin and moved up and down her body.

"_It's moment's like these that I don't want to end_," Toby that looking into Erica's eyes. The two mates enjoyed each others company; kissing and loving and holding each other tight. Toby's bond with Erica was inseparable. Absolutely nothing could tear them apart and it had been that way for a good two years.

Erica twirled around one of Toby's dreads as they tickled her gray fur, "Oh God...you're soft...so beautiful," Toby whispered running her hands through Erica's fur. The harbor seal lightly moaned to Toby's soft caresses and tickling fingers as she ran her hands down Toby's back. Erica turned Toby over and she was on top. She and Toby started kissing as Toby ran her hands lightly the seal's back and light caressed her rear end.

The two mates rolled from one side of the bed to the other, "Just like you, Toby, just like you," Erica whispered into the wolf's ear and made her blood warm. Erica was sweet and gentle. The complete opposite of what a heavy metal vocalist would be in some people's eyes. Toby could be called a 'rocker with a sense of morals'. Although she drinks sparingly, she knew not to do things like take drugs after a few incidents in high school.

Toby turned Erica over so she was laying on her stomach. Toby's chest pressed against Erica's back as she applied kisses down the length of her back and down to her backside. Erica moaned in the ecstasy, heat and sweat. Erica looked up at Toby and kissed her on the lips as the signal to call it an evening, "whew...," Toby said leaning on her side like a nude posing for an artist,

Toby rolled off Erica's back and looked up at the ceiling. She rested her hands on the back on her head, but Erica wasn't done just yet. Erica rolled around on the bed and rested herself on top of her mate making herself comfortable, "There isn't a day that goes by that you don't make me smile, Erica," Toby complimented lightly running her index finger up and down the cleavage between Erica's breasts.

"Hey that tickles," Erica lightly giggled being tickled by Toby. She sighed a sigh of relief as she looked into Toby's honey-colored eyes, "when I'm around you, I feel like I can let go of my past and look forward to a better future," Toby nodded in understanding. She knew who Erica was talking about, but sooner or later Erica knew she was going to have to confront a certain coyote about this matter.

"You're going to have to confront her about this matter sooner or later, Ian has the right to know," Toby explained to her mate. Toby moved her right leg between Erica's legs and held her mate in her arms, "I'll never leave you, Erica, my word...," Toby went up and kissed her mate on the cheek, "is my oath,"

"Toby honey, you spoil me," Erica tittered. She rested her head down on Toby's chest as her chest mushed against Toby's belly. The wolf put an arm around Erica's lower back, "it makes me happy to know that our musical careers going off in the right direction," Toby sighed and lightly placed her hand on Erica's rear. Erica rolled over and headed off the bed toward the bathroom, "I'm going to take a shower, care to join me?"

"Oh, you gonna get it now, sugar," Toby purred seductively as she exited the bed and Erica turned on the water. Toby helped wash her lovers back and then there was more hugging and kissing and loving in the shower. The sounds of hands rubbing against steamy windows and flirtatious laughter echoed in the bathroom.

Toby looked out the steamy window and noticed the sun setting over the mountains, "Hey is something wrong?" Erica asked, figuring something was bothering her. Toby turned to her mate and sighed. Toby looked at the seal with a slightly worried expression, wondering if it's a good idea that Riley and Ian should meet up.

"Sort of, I'm worried about Riley," Toby confessed to the harbor seal and expressed her feeling about the two sister's reuniting, "I mean, Ian and Riley haven't seen each other for years, I'm hoping things won't get out of hand between those two, like after the first concert at the Midnight, Riley didn't look too happy happy joy joy,"

Erica nodded in understanding to Toby's feelings, "You have a point there, Honey, but c'mon Riley's a big girl, she can handle herself," She replied confidently. Toby lightly grinned. Erica didn't earn her degree from USC by just sitting around, "besides, it's only right that Riley and Ian get their relationship as family back on track,"

"I'm not one to believe in destiny, but I am one to believe in doing what's right," Toby stated. A small, seductive grin soon came across Toby's face, "now where were we...?" Erica tittered as the fun in the shower continued. Erica turned off the water and the two of them dried themselves off with their towels.

"Hey are you hungry, wanna go grab a bite?" Erica asked. Although Toby kept a healthy figure, she could never turn down an opportunity to get food, "I'll take that as a yes, put on something nice and we'll go out, sounds cool to you?" Toby nodded a single nod and put on some presentable clothes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Fur-Piled- Feel the Music**

**Chapter 4- No More Tears (Ozzy Osbourne)  
**

Meanwhile on the streets of Santa Monica, Riley was out for a night on the town, humming some of her favorite songs to keep up her courage. She looked around trying to find her younger sister, "Hey!" Ian called out from a outdoor seat of a local Starbucks. "you're a little late," Ian scolded. Ian looked down at the black leather leggings and a plain white t-shirt, "you look good, punk ass," Ian complimented

"Hey, you're not so bad yourself," Riley said taking her seat and crossing her legs, "Erica helped me out," Ian rolled her eyes and ordered herself a latte. Riley got herself her favorite drink and alternative to alcohol, a pomegranate flavored Izze sparkling juice. The two girls stared at each other for a few minutes, wondering which one of them would start the conversation first.

Riley sipped at her drink and decided to break the starring contest even though no one blinked, "so...uh...what chu been up to, lately?" She asked her younger sister. Ian got around just fine without the help of her older sister, but it looked like things were going to change, "yah seem to be havin' the time of yah life, i'm happy for yah,"

Ian wasn't exactly thrilled to see her older sister, "Humph...thanks I guess, got a mate and living MY life," Ian said quietly, "what about you? I haven't seen much of you since YOU left for college, you didn't call or anything since you got to your dorm," Riley sighed, a lot had happened since she got out of school.

Riley had not seen Ian in for so long, it was almost like talking to a complete stranger. She didn't know anything about her other than that they shared the same last name, "I'm sorry about that, really...I am," She apologized and sniffled a bit from the emotion of the moment, but Ian didn't seem to think she could trust anything that came out of that coyote's muzzle,

"Don't think that bit of sniffling is gonna get to me, Sis, where WERE you?" Ian asked, but Riley didn't have an answer. Her head was dipped down in shame, "grr...This is all YOUR fault yah know that, punk ass?" She snarled at the older coyote. Riley sighed in regret, "you don't know do you? How shameful it is that someone you looked up to turned out to be a P.O.S, I don't like how you look, I don't like how you talk and-!"

"SHUT UP!" Riley blasted back and banged her fist against the table which made Ian jolt back. A few heads turned to them. Thanks in part to Riley's laziness, it took her five years to graduate from college. She worked out of dead end jobs and it seemed her goals in life were going down the drain. Before she met Toby and Erica, Riley was like a car with a broken drive shaft for most of her life in the real world, she wasn't going anywhere.

A tear streamed down from Riley's left eye, "Sorry about that...it's just...it's just a lot ah shit happened since then," Riley said wiping the tear away and tracing back to that day and everything that happened since then, "well first off I lost my cell phone and I didn't have enough cash to buy a new one," Ian frowned with a look that read, 'that is bullshit',

"What? I shit you not, anyway, it took me five years to get out of college, yah know, going to a community college and transferring to a four year school, yah know all that shit? And trying to find a job," Ian didn't look surprised. Riley wasn't called 'Sleepy' for nothing. She had a habit of falling asleep anytime and anywhere which made her a flunky in school,

Ian listened to her sister's tale. In some parts it was too true, but some parts seemed like bullshit. This was the first time she had said this to her, "Since then it has been hard for me to find work, I worked God-knows-how-many dead end jobs and I was evicted from my first apartment," Riley looked at her sister in the eye, "yah think you know what it's like to live out on the streets? Heh, you haven't seen shit,"

Ian calmed down, "Look, I'm sorry I yelled at you, I...I didn't know," Ian apologized, Riley held Ian's right hand as an act of of saying 'I forgive you'. Ian smiled, "So really, I was wondering, how did you meet Toby and her gang?" Ian asked. Riley smiled as her eyes lit up with happiness under the hair covering her eyes. Toby, Raven and Erica have been with Riley through thick and thin. The band was like Riley's second family.

Riley sighed, "Hey man, I remember the day I met them like it was yesterday, it's was raining and I was outta job and outta luck, I made a lot of mistakes in the real world, too many to count, all thanks to my addiction problems, it's quite a blessing those two happen to come around, if it weren't for them I'd probably be in jail or dead, I'm speechin' the truth, yo,"

"Other than being a bass player, I was a drunk and a pothead," Riley confessed, Ian didn't look surprised, "they found me trashed outside a bar one night and Erica decided to help sober me up, as payment I helped them out with their music careers, mine as well, since then i never touched liquor again and i guess i just became part of the pack...I still smoke weed, not as much as I used to though...heh heh,"

Now it was time for Riley to ask the question, not that there was much to talk about, "So Ian...I see you got a mate, Tanya's her name, right?" Ian nodded a 'yes', "hey, hey, didn't know yah had in yah, sis, she's quite an angel, man, you better watch' cha self, I just might try to steal her away,"

"Hey hands off, punk ass stoner," Ian hissed, "the last thing I want is YOU influencing her to do stupid shit," She finished up her coffee and tossing the cup into a wastebasket. Riley laughed at Ian's response, "so where's Toby and Erica? I miss those two," Ian asked, Riley rolled her eyes. Knowing Erica, she was probably enjoying some private time with Toby.

"I ate them," Riley joked evilly, but Ian didn't find it amusing and hit her sister upside the head, "ouch...fuck...," she groaned rubbing where Ian had struck her, "knowing them, Erica and Toby are probably doing...yard work," Riley said lightly blushing at the thought. Riley was 31 years old and still single, but she had yet to find the perfect mate, "Raven has evening classes today and looks like...uh oh,"

Riley looked over at the sidewalk and saw Tanya coming their way. Other than the differences in fur color and species, Tanya and Raven looked almost alike in appearance, just as tall and just as beautiful. The other difference being that Raven was a walking drum machine with blast beats pulsing in her brain, "C'mon, you're not hidin' anything from me, punk ass," Ian tittered,

"Besides I see the way yah look at Raven, just tell her how yah feel," Ian suggested, Riley made a 'humph' and a shook her head, "c'mon don't gimme that, this gaydar hasn't failed me," Ian chuckled at her older sister. She was right though, but Raven was still battling herself over her own sexual identity.

"C'mon Ian yah think it's that simple, man? She still don't know which way she swings, if yah put that kinda pressure on her, it ain't gonna be pretty," Riley fired back, Ian sighed, she and her friends had a little work to do and the project was named 'Raven Pantera'. Tanya came up and took a seat between Riley and Ian to Riley's surprise, "oh shit, man!"

"Hey, hey don't worry about, it's cool," Tanya said relaxing in her chair, "you must be Leonora, you're Ian's older sister," Riley frowned, if there anything she detested, it was her whole name, Rilena Cassandra Yote. The older coyote kept her cool around the lioness,

"You too and please call 'Riley', Honey," Riley said to the lioness. The three girls talked and laughed for another few hours. Riley told them about their upcoming gig on Halloween, "you guys gonna make it to that shit? I'd mean a lot to me, Ian because I have something special for you in mind I'd like you to hear,"

Ian stood up from her chair and headed home, "Look Leo, just give it time, OK? No one ever said this was gonna be easy," Tanya said putting a hand on Riley's shoulder and left to catch up with Ian, but not before she put in her two cents, "if you want my advice, you and Ian should plan for outings like this, that way you guys get talk more and get your relationship back on track,"

"Yeah thanks Tanya, I'll think about it," Riley replied as Tanya left the table, "_well, that went well_," She thought watching Ian and Tanya laughing and talking amongst each other, "One day...that'll happen to me," She said to herself and finished her drink, sipping it down to the last drops.

Tanya caught up with Ian. The coyote sighed looking back at Riley and shook her head. The older coyote was ordering a large cinnamon roll, "Heh, punk ass probably smoked something before coming to meet me, I can still smell the weed in her breath," Ian commented, Tanya held her mate's hand, "what do you think Tanya?"

"First off, stop putting her down, what if she's just hungry?" Tanya commented, "second, I think you need to give her a chance," Tanya replied looking at her mate and poking at her shoulder, "don't you think she's been through enough? you maybe the younger sister, but she didn't have the things you had, in fact, I sorta admire her, she went through her own hell and got out with the help of her band mates, she's still standing,"

"Yeah and if you take them away she'll be back in her own hell and I won't shed a tear," Ian spat back, still not ready to make amends yet, "this family thing won't work, Tanya, I know it, you know how I'd feel to be around someone like THAT?" Ian pointed to Riley whom was leaning back a bit too far in her chair and fell backwards. she could her an 'I'm OK' in the background from the older coyote,

"It's like I told her, you need to give it time, this won't be easy Ian, Toby is right too, yah need to see the light, you've got what cha' want, the only thing stopping Riley from getting what she desires is YOUR stubbornness," Tanya concluded as they walked back to Ian's apartment, "sigh...honestly, I still think both of you have the potential, you guys just need to put things into action, like schedule another outing...just think about it, OK?"

"Alright," Ian turned out the lights and joined Tanya in bed, "_still...I wonder what Riley and the girls have planned for the Halloween Party...probably something cool_," Tanya held Ian close to her side and fell asleep, _"Heh, you wanna make this work, Leonora...i suppose i can give this thing a shot,"_


	5. Chapter 5

**Fur-Piled- Feel the Music**

**Chapter 5- Hole in the Sky/Dirty Women  
**

The next morning, it was time for a girls night out with all the band members. The band went around the mall window shopping and looking for stuff to wear to their upcoming concert at the Halloween Ball. It was Stone Hornet's major concert and maybe their first chance to get their presence known outside the Santa Monica Area.

But it was a Tuesday and Raven only had classes in the morning so she was free to hang with her band mates. Toby was wearing relaxed fit jeans and her favor tan Claiborne that had just been washed and dried in the laundry. Her mate Erica was wearing cargo khaki shorts and a white tank-top. Riley and Raven had just finished going for a jog before going to mall and were still wearing their exercise clothes.

As the band members looked around the stores, nothing seemed to really interest them except one store. "Oh...my...GOD!" Toby's eyes widened as she looked upon the band's own person Mecca. A new Guitar Center store had just opened up in town and the band members were as excited as teenage girls on a shopping spree.

"Hey man, now's our chance to check out some of new gear," Riley said scratching her chin, "maybe they'll have that Precision Bass I always wanted, I can trade in my Rickenbacker for it," she mumbled looking at the selection of guitars and basses with Toby. Toby raised an eyebrow at Leo's idea.

"Dude, keep the 4003, that's a classic girl," Toby said in favor of keeping Riley's old Rickenbacker around, "but hey, I wouldn't mind if you had a Precision, you can add that to your arsenal," Riley nodded in approval and went up to the counter to put the bass on hold. The band had a gig that evening at the Midnight Howl since it was 'Lesbian Night',

"Hey Honey, check this out," Erica said looking at a chain mic stand up for sale. Raven stuck her tongue out at Erica since the word 'Honey' was a little too sappy for her taste, "a bit pricey, but pretty bad ass, no?" Toby nodded lightly in approval. Toby tilted her head bemusedly at the mic stand, "Toby is something wrong?"

"Nah, it's just doesn't fit our image as a band in a way," Toby stated scratching her chin in thought, "I'm getting a goth rock vibe off that stand, but it is bad ass looking there's no doubt about that," Erica smiled and hugged her lover. Raven seemed to disagree with the leader and looked up at the stand in approval,

"C'mon, Wolfie, we gotta show we have a bit of an edge to our style," Raven suggested, Toby's grin said 'maybe later in our careers', "a'ight, I see where this is going, you're gonna play mommy and say you'll have to wait 'til Christmas, huh?" Riley chuckled at Raven's sassiness, "so you gals excited about tonight, kinda cool Rose and Louis are coming,"

"Rose's coming? Then this gig will be extra special right, Honey cakes?" Erica asked her mate whom responded by giving the seal a kiss on the cheek as a response. Erica chuckled a flirty titter as the romantic rockers got a few raised eyebrows from the other customers at the store, "oh...this will have to til later tonight," she whispered to her mate's ear,

"I suppose you're right, Sugar," Toby sighed, knowing that even though they lived in Santa Monica, some people just don't respect another individual's sexual orientation. That evening, the band rested up for their gig at 7:00 that evening. Erica was taking a nap with Toby. Riley was on the computer chatting with Ian and listening to music while Raven was watching TV.

"Argh...FUCK! There's nothing on...," Raven blasted and groaned flipping through the channels, "this is WHY I don't like being a student, yah study all day for your term papers and exams and yah fuckin' wrecked, but no...all yah favorite programs have come and gone," Raven whimpered at the TV, "I wish we had TiVo," she groaned,

"Hey man, yah know how expensive that shit is? We're barely gettin' by on the rent, Rav," Riley said taking off her headphones which were blasting Frijid Pink's cover of 'House of the Rising Sun' into her ears. Raven frowned, she knew this to be true even if they were the 'Reigning Queens of Metal in Santa Monica' as one Magazine article described them as,

"Oh...time to go to work," Toby said waking up and turning off the alarm clock, "ready to party, Sugar?" Erica looked over at a reclining Toby with a smile. Toby looked like she was nude modeling for an artist. The she-wolf sat on the edge of the bed and put on her shiny bronze snakeskin wet leggings and a hemp long sleeve shirt.

"Always," Erica said putting on a pair of black spandex tights with whites slashes on the sides and a black tank-top, "lookin' sharp there, Honey," Erica complimented and gave her mate a swift tap in the butt. Toby chuckled a light titter that had a mix of masculine and feminine charm.

Meanwhile at the Midnight Howl, the crowds were pouring in hearing that Stone Hornet was performing tonight, "So Toby's group is performing, it's kind of exciting to have a rock band in town," Louis said hanging at the bar with Rose, "as far as I know, I haven't seen a rock band around here in a while, Toby said she had something special in mind for the evening,"

"If I know that crazy wolf, I'd be scared to find out what she means by 'special'," Rose replied. The jaguar looked over at the stage and noticed the band came and were setting up the stage for what was to be a wild night. Ian and Tanya came along as helpers and groupies helping set up amps and lights.

"Hey sis," Ian said looking away from her older sister and back up at her, "I just...I just want to say, break a leg and that I...I love you," Riley was busy thumbing her bass up she heard what Ian was saying under her thick head of hair. Leo's eyes softened under the of the hair over her eyes. She went over and gave her sister a big hug,

"Thanks," Riley said and whispered the new words she had never said to Ian in many years, "I love yah too, sis," Ian closed her eyes and smiled as she wrapped her arms around Riley, "hey Tanya, you and Ian have a kick-ass time in dah crowds, yah dig, man?" Tanya winked at the taller older sister,

"Oh yeah, count on us, Riley," Tanya and Ian exited stage left and made their way into the mosh pit. Erica grasped the microphone like a sword and breathed a ready sigh. Toby strapped on her guitar and Riley readied her bass. Raven took her position at the drums and nodded to the other three that she ready to party.

The Old Man made his way to the balcony while the the band was psyched to rock under the cover of the stage darkness, "Alright ladies, the moment you've all been waiting for, the only group of girls that can turn estrogen into a weapon of mass destruction, it is my honor and my pleasure to introduce the Fiery Four of Santa Monica, Stone Hornet!"

Raven pounded the beginning four drum beats to their piece which sounded like thunder. The stage lights flashed and Toby's guitar blazed with music as if her hands were going to burst into flames, "Oh yeah, SABBATH! SABBATH!" Louis shouted to the band, Riley's bass playing and headbanging plus Erica's dance moves got the crowds going crazy,

**"I'm looking through a hole in the sky**  
** I'm seeing nowhere through the eyes of a lie**  
** I'm getting closer to the end of the line**  
** I'm living easy where the sun doesn't shine**

** I'm living in a room without any view**  
** I'm living freely because the rent's never due**  
** The synonyms of all the things that I've said**  
** Are just the riddles that are built in my head**

** Hole in the sky, gateway to heaven**  
** Window in time, through it I fly**

** I've seen the stars disappear in the sun**  
** The shooting's easy if you've got the right gun**  
** And even though I'm sitting waiting for Mars**  
** I don't believe there's any future in cars**  
** Hole in the sky, gateway to heaven**  
** Window in time, through it I fly**

** Yeah**

** I've watched the dogs of war enjoying their feast**  
** I've seen the western world go down in the east**  
** The food of love became the greed of our time**  
** But now I'm living on the profits of crime,"**

"Now that brings back memories!" Rose cheered as Toby's ending howl topped off a topnotch performance by the all-female metal band. The crowds cheered and danced in the heat and sweat of the club lights. Ian and Tanya danced the night away as Stone Hornet played other sings until it was time to say good night for the evening,

"Wow...yah ladies are fuckin' great, man...we didn't get that much when we started out, but yah gals are fuckin'...awesome, man," Riley said into her mic, "hey, uh...we'll like...be around on Halloween, so make it sexy, trust me, me and my bass will make yah horny," Erica, Raven and Toby laughed at Riley's statement,

"Hey ladies ya'll want another one?" Toby asked the crowd, the crowd of raving fans cheered and screamed to their heart's content, "here was one I love to play on road trips, but never seems to be on the radio...man that sucks...it's not even on XM Radio, here's another Sabbath hit we all love called 'Dirty Women',

"**The neon lights are shining on me again **  
**I walk the lonely streets in search of a friend **  
**I need a lady to help me to get through the night, through the night **  
**If I could find one then everything would be alright **

**The sleepy city is dreaming the night time away **  
**Out on the streets I watch tomorrow becoming today **  
**I see a man, he's got take away women for sale, yes for sale **  
**Guess that's the answer **  
**'Cos take away women don't fail **

**Oh dirty women, they don't mess around **  
**Oh dirty women, they don't mess around **  
**You've got me coming **  
**You've got me going around **  
**Oh dirty women, they don't mess around **

**Walking the streets I wonder will it ever happen **  
**Gotta be good 'cause then everything will be o.k. **  
**If I could score tonight then I will end up happy **

**A woman for sale is gonna help me save my day,**"

The ending solo got the crowds pumping. Toby's fingers were callused and numb as were Leo's. Raven could feel the pains in her wrists crying 'Jesus Have Mercy!'. The crowds danced and cheered, clapping their hands and whistling until their throats were hoarse. Toby nodded to her band mates and gave them all hi-fives and a sweat-covered hug to Erica for a job-well-done.

Erica sighed, they didn't want the party to end, "Yep, I hate to say this but that's all for the evening, be sure to tip your waitress, she's lookin' sharp," Erica joked. Erica pulled Toby into her arms as they kissed on stage and got a few 'oh yeahs' and flirty whistles from the crowd, "that was awesome! Man, we got a real thing going here," The band when spent a few hours packing up and headed out the door,

"Hey ladies," Ian said stopping the band with Tanya at her side, "you guys ROCK! I think yah got fans in Rose and Louis now," Rose and Louis looked over at the band from across the street and raised the 'devil horns' as a salute to the local Goddesses of Rock, "hey, Rilena, you keep rockin' and I'll make sure make it to the Halloween gig,"


	6. Chapter 6

**Fur-Piled- Feel the Music**

**Chapter 6- Rock You Like A Hurricane (Scorpions)  
**

Ian was rolling around in her bed and bored out of her mind. The evening darkness covered the skies and the town was hopping with nightlife. Ian had the urge to go out and meet Tanya but she had no one else to go with her. Neither Husky nor Saetto were picking up. Louis turned her down since she and Rose were busy doing 'yard work' and Andy was having dinner with Blue Indigo for the evening at a high-class restaurant.

"Ugh...there's nothing to do and there's nothing on TV," Ian groaned having tried to call her sister but she was asleep on the couch at Erica's flat, "_I really hope my older sister is doing OK, Toby's right, I guess I was wrong about her_," she thought knowing her sister was older but not as skilled at getting the ladies as Ian was, "_hmm...Raven might be busy, I wonder what Riley is up too_,"

At Erica's apartment, Riley was frustrated with the TV...and baked, "Aww...that's like...totally not cool, man, really dat's messed up...," She groaned with her sleepy eyes were transfixed to the TV. She was smoking a joint and had been practicing her bass for most of the day. There seemed to be nothing on Starz or Showtime, "like...WHOA man! There's nothin' a spliff can't make any better, yo,"

"_Scratch that, I don't really wanna know_," Ian thought as a not-so-beautiful image went into her head. Suddenly, an idea clicked into her head, "_maybe Toby's around, she'd make a good person to go to the bar with_," Ian rolled over and snatched her phone off the lamp stand where it was charging. All her plans were setting in motion now all she needed was a yes or no from Toby,

Meanwhile, the very wolf was driving around town in Erica's car. She just got back from shopping at the 'Trader Joe's'. Her phone alarm buzzed in her pocket, "Guess it's that time of the day," She said to herself as her phone message read 'pick up Erica from the Y'. She drove over to the local YMCA to meet up with her mate. It was a nice warm evening as the California sun began to set on the horizon. She was looking around at all the happy people lining up at the clubs and bars. Her cell phone buzzed again which caught her attention, "_Oh? Who could that be_?" She thought to herself,

She pulled the phone out of the pocket of her slim-straight jeans, "Hello this is Toby speaking, oh hey Ian," Toby said in her calm, friendly tone as Ian was explaining her plans for the evening, "yeah...yeah, sure that sounds like fun, Erica and I don't have anything planned, I'll run it by her and see what she says, talk to yah later,"

She hung up the phone and made her way into the YMCA. She looked through the tall windows and saw Erica swimming her after work laps. Erica worked as a lifeguard at the YMCA on 6th Street. Erica looked at Toby waving from the window and signaled 'one second'. Erica dove under and got out of the pool. She adjusted the bottom of her swimsuit and went over to the changing rooms.

Erica dried herself off and put her favorite swimsuit back in her duffel bag. Her gear consisted of a solid black swimsuit with neon green and white lightning designs plus a pair of goggles that have been at her side since she was in high school. She put on her change of clothes and headed out the door to meet up with her mate, "Hey, thanks for picking me up, Honey Cakes," Erica said playfully,

"No prob, Snuggle," Toby flirted giving Erica a small peck on the lips as they walked out of the building hand-in-hand, "Hey Erica, Ian called a few minutes ago, she was wondering if we wanted to hang with her and Tanya tonight, sounds good?" Erica looked up at the she-wolf and smiled. She liked being around Ian and Tanya since there was a bond growing between the couples.

"Sure, we haven't gone out for a drink in years," Erica replied. The two of them laughed and walked up to Erica's car in the parking lot. Meanwhile, Ian was driving through town and looking for a place to park. On late nights, sometimes finding a place to park was the equivalent of finding a needle in the hay stack,

Parking karma seemed to on Ian's side as she found a space not far from the Midnight Howl, "_Sigh...I'm too hot for my own damn good_," Ian thought satisfied with her attire. Toby and Erica saw Ian off in the distance and waved to her, "Oh yeah, now it's a party!" Ian cheered giving Erica a light hug and an Exploding Pound from Toby.

"Hey yah Ian, nice to see yah, c'mon let's go party," Toby said cheerfully as the three girls went to meet up with Tanya whom was waiting at the bar. Tanya smiled and gave Toby and Erica a friend hug. Toby got the bar tender's attention and ordered a drink, "excuse me, can I have a pint of your Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean?"

The bartender saw to the dreadlocked wolf's request. Erica ordered herself a 'Jack & Coke' which was her favorite. Ian and Tanya got themselves a 'Sex on the Beach' (2/3oz. Peach Schnapps, 1 1/3oz. Vodka, 1 1/3oz. cranberry juice and 1 1/3oz. of orange juice) and 'High Voltage' (six parts tequila, three parts peach liquor and one part lime juice). The four girls sat at a booth and conversed on the events of the week,

"Toby…I…um…," Ian looked at the she-wolf with a look of appreciation, "I wanted to thank you and your friends, for helping out my older sister, you helped me see a side of her I thought I'd never see," Ian lightly hugged the wolf. Erica wasn't the jealous type. She knew this was for all the hard work the band did for Leo,

"Hey, hey, it's no biggie, bands are like family too, there's no way in hell I'd leave Riley behind, we're friends after all, no one gets left behind," Toby said in a way a leader would. She put her hand on Ian's shoulder and grinned, "Now c'mon, you wanna party, you got one," she made a toast to their friendship between the two couples and the evening began with some interrogation.

"Hey Toby, mind if I asked you something?" Tanya asked, Toby shrugged her shoulders and turned her attention to the beautiful lioness, "you two seem to have a great thing going for each other, so...uh...when was the first time you guys actually, you know, had sex?" Toby smiled tracing back to some of her fondest memories while Erica sighed looking back on some good times.

"C'mon you two give us all the filthy details," Ian demanded with a friendly grin and some laughter, Toby seemed obliged to tell her. It was one of the best moments in her young love life even though she was older than Ian. Erica smiled, she remembered that evening like it was yesterday.

"Oh man, where to start, huh?" She asked, smiling at her mate putting her arm over Erica's shoulder and holding her close. She sipped at her beer and opened up her box of memories, "When I first started seeing Erica, my hair was shorter and I was still pondering my own sexual identity,"

Erica continued, "I was helping Toby pack her stuff because she was moving down to California, so we rented a room at the Fairmont and had a nice dinner that night, Toby seemed excited that I only rented a single room for the night, wink, wink, nudge, nudge," Ian and Tanya let out an 'oh...' in unison but all in good fun,

"I was fast asleep when suddenly I felt a soft hand, soft as silk, caressing my fur," Toby said following up the tale, "her lips were so soft and she was so gentle, but I couldn't tell myself that I was in love with her until I felt her kisses on my back so I took her up by the back and I threw both her and then myself out the 6th floor window,"

Tanya and Ian looked at the she-wolf with shock and anger, "Now I would never do that in reality, it was all a dream, when I woke up, I was shocked to see I was naked and in bed with her and I ran out of there as fast as I could," the coyote and the lioness sighed in relief,

"It surprised me how she got out of the bed so quickly, I saw her run toward the bathroom and turn on the shower," said Erica seeming to capture both Ian's and Tanya's attention and Toby's awkwardness. She sipped at her drink and rested her hands on the table.

"I wasn't a virgin at this time," Erica explained, "my first mate well…I don't want to talk about her, Toby was the second mate in my life and I really felt this love was for real, I could see it in her soul that Toby wasn't someone who was trying to sell me out, make jokes or look at me as an oddity...God, I can't stand seal jokes,"

"I knew something was wrong," Erica stated reaching the tale's conclusion, "I slowly peered through the door and I saw her cuddled up under the shower, she was sniffling and crying," Toby sighed and lightly pushed Erica's arm, "she stood up and her head was dipped down in shame, I thought she was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen, I hugged her behind and I promised that I'd never let her go and she said the same to me,"

"So that's our story, now then…I think I have an idea," Toby said exiting the table and going up to the DJ and asking him to play a special song for her and the gang. The DJ saw to her request and played the tune. Her favorite Scorpions tune began to play to the delight of all those present at the 'Midnight Howl'. Erica looked back and smiled a seductive smile at Toby as went out onto the dance floor,

"Toby what are yah waitin' for? Get your punk ass out there, don't leave her hangin'!" Ian teased pushing Toby out on to the floor. Toby and Erica maybe heavy metal chicks, but they each shared a love for dance and disco music. Erica's sexy frame was clad in a metallic silver halter top jumpsuit and she had the moves to go with it. Toby pulled Ian and Tanya out on to the floor under the rainbow of lights in the heat of the moment,

"C'mon Snuggle, let's show these two how it's done!" Toby cheered showing off her dance moves. Toby rocked her shoulders and swayed her hips to the beat of the song. Erica was breaking out the moves that would make Donna Summer and Anita Ward proud. Toby twirled her around and the two of them switched dancing partners. Toby was with Tanya while Ian got a little taste of Erica.

After basking in lights, heat and sweat of the dance floor, the cool breeze was refreshing as the two couples went their separate ways. Tanya noticed something was bothering her mate, "Hey what's the matter, Ian?" Tanya asked as she was looking over at Erica with soft eyes.

Erica looked so happy having someone like Toby in her life, but something was bothering Ian after that evening. She knew Erica was hiding something or there was something that Harbor Seal didn't want falling on the wrong ears. Toby knew about her first mate, but didn't feel like it was a big deal.

"Oh it's nothing," Ian replied opening the passenger's side door to let Tanya in. Tanya knew Ian wasn't telling her something. The look on Tanya's face said 'spill the beans'. Ian looked at her and sighed, "Erica said she had a lover before she met Toby and I think I have an idea of who it is...,"


	7. Chapter 7

**Fur-Piled- Feel the Music**

**Chapter 7- Separate Ways (Journey)**

It was early in the afternoon and Riley was looking to buy herself some lunch, "_I see the looks people in line are giving me_," She thought to herself looking up at the menu and around at all the other people in line, "_to them it seems like I'm ugly, like I don't fit the norm of modern society, it's true, I'm a rocker and I'm gay, but please it's not like I'm from another planet or something_,"

After paying for a chicken tender sandwich, she exited the restaurant and sat at a park bench. With each bite, she stared at her sandwich in thought, "_In all the time I've spent with the band, they've all done their parts to help me out, maybe it's time I try to do what's best for myself, I still want to be in the band, but in a band everyone is different which makes them special_,"

As she got down to the last few bites, she came to a conclusion, "_You know what? I want to be something Ian would be proud to say 'she's my sister' to the others, it's time I made some changes for the greater good, I'll make it a surprise for Ian when the Halloween Ball comes around, but first.._," She got up from the park bench and for the first time in her life, she went shopping.

She went to stores like Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters, in her appearance she was changing on the outside. As the finally touch, she went to a local hair with a simple request, "Hey man, can you whip me up something bangin'?" She asked the receptionist. She looked up at who was speaking and could tell Riley was going to be a tough job. She pointed to a seating area.

Riley sat down at looked at the magazines that seemed to have been sitting on the table for decades. She flipped though the hair styles and settled on one as soon as she was called up. As her hair was being cut she smiled, "You know this is the first I've ever seen my eyes in front of a mirror without pulling my hair back," She remarked, the stylist lightly chuckled,

She settled for a long crew cut. After around a half-hours work, he showed her the back with a hand-held mirror. Riley nodded in approval and paid for her cut, "Don't worry about it, this one's on the house," said the kind stylist, "you and your friends keep up the good work, stay sick," the stylist made a small devil horns gesture. Riley laughed as she headed out the door,

Riley looked up at the sun and smiled. It was the first in years she could look up to brighter things ahead. She reached into her pocket and saw she had a joint on her. Though it was such a small thing, it was what drove her young life down and it was up to her to try and climb back up the social ladder. Things seemed to be making a turn for the better when she saw Erica and Toby eating lunch together,

An old lion was walking through the park and looked at the young coyote, "Mind if I sit here?" He asked, Riley nodded no, "something's troubling you, I can see it, you know looks aren't going to solve whatever it is that needs to be solved, you maybe able to look the part, but you gotta act the part, you get what I'm saying?" Riley nodded in understanding, but it was surprising to her that he knew so much,

"But I want to be that person she would be proud to say, "that's my older sister", yah feel me?" She said hoping the Old Man would understand her conundrum, "it's bad enough Ian sees me as a stoner and nothing else, I feel like I'm digging a tunnel but I can't to find the way out," the Old Man simply nodded in understanding and opened up his umbrella enough it was a sunny day,

"I see...Well then, the answer you seek is pretty simple, you shouldn't let people judge you by what you were, you have to look deep within yourself and find you own standards, you're trying to be something that you are not, you're not a user, you are a musician, right?" Riley nodded a yes to the Old Man, "you can be a professional, but have to carry yourself and everyone else that you are different,"

Riley sighed, "Wait, how do you-," before she could ask her question, he was gone, but she looked over at a figure wearing a trench coat and an umbrella, "_oh forget it...but he's right though_," she said to herself, "_I wonder if Ian's around, maybe she and I can do something as a family...for once_," she looked at the joint she had saved for later and frowned. It was easy to believe something that small could destroy a life.

She tossed the joint into a nearby trashcan and went up to her two band mates, "Yo...what all's goin' down?" She asked, Toby turned around and saw the transformation that just unfolded. Riley didn't look like the burnt out stoner that used to loaf around the house while Ian was at school. Now she looked like an older sister, the kind she would be proud to she she knew.

"You look good, Riley," Toby said in approval giving the bass player a hug and a seat, "so have you heard from Ian or Tanya yet?" Riley shook her head 'no', "oh...that's too bad," The three rockers went home after paying for their meal. They went down into the garage where Raven was waiting at her drum set. After three hours of practice, the band members did their own separate things.

Toby went into the bathroom to find Erica soaking in the tub. The wolf kindly handed her a towel as she was getting out, "Thank you, Sweetie," Erica said, happy with Toby's kind gesture and reached up to give her a kiss on the cheek. Toby chuckled, but something seemed to trouble Erica as she was drying herself off, "Toby I need to talk you, it's about well...you know,"

"Aww...Bree's still calling you?" Toby said, still a bit fed up with Erica's ex-mate wanting to get back with her since Toby started seeing Erica and eventually moving in. Erica nodded a light 'yes' to Toby's reply, "now I'm not mad at you, don't get me wrong, but this is getting ridiculous," Erica went to her drawers and pulled out a green fitted t-shirt and a pair of pocket-less jeans.

"Look, I know how you feel, I've even told her personally that I didn't want anything to do with her anymore," Erica said buttoning up her jeans and pulling down her t-shirt, "Toby, I don't want you getting involved with this, this was a mistake I made, and I need to to fix it by myself," Toby shook her head at Erica's words. Erica sighed knowing things might get ugly if she were to talk to Bree.

"I'm not against you trying to solve this little debacle, you've told me about her, but she doesn't know about me, does she?" Toby asked, Erica shook her head 'no' to her question, "you have to show her you've moved on, besides if she starts getting violent, she'll have to go through me," Erica lightly smiled at her mate's devotion. She headed out the door with her mate.

Toby grabbed a Virgil's Real Cola out of the fridge before heading out the door, the two of them headed out onto the bustling streets and sidewalks of Santa Monica. The blue-jean wearing Harbor Seal spotted the hound waiting for her at the railing behind the beach, "Hello...Bree," Erica said, not too pleased to see her. Erica crossed her arms and leaned against the railing.

"Erica...I thought you'd show up," Bree said calmly trying to give her a hug, but Erica stepped back, "oh...I see how it is, so that's who you left me for...A wolf bitch? I never did understand you," She said shifting a glance at the gray wolf watching the conversation in case anything got out-of hand. Toby lightly squinted her eyes at the dog, "I gave you everything, Erica...everything, and this is how you pay me back?"

Erica shook her head, "No...no you didn't, you treated me like I was a pet, just something you can show off to all your friends!" Erica snapped, calming down after her fit of rage, "it was all because I was a seal, you used me because I was something different...something 'exotic' as you put it, you never gave Ian a reason as to why you left her for me, you didn't love me, you just used me,"

"I've also seen you at the Midnight on the late nights," Toby recalled after throwing her bottle away in a waste bin. Erica tried to stop her. The wolf nodded to her as a sign that she wasn't going to use violence, "I see the way you look at Ian nowadays, honestly I can say I've known her for a lesser amount of time than you, but I can tell she's happier now with Tanya than she was with you...you just can't accept it,"

"How dare you...," Bree growled menacingly, Erica had reached her boiling point and punched Bree in the cheek with all her might, sending her spiraling down to the ground. A small bit of blood trickled out of her mouth. Bree crawled on the ground and looked up at Erica and Toby. Erica looked at Toby and gave her a nod that signaled it was time to leave, "humph, not bad...," she complimented,

Erica shook her head in disapproval, "No...how dare you," Erica hissed, "I'll never let you say those kinds of things to my mate, never...Don't you realize it? I'm happy, happier than I've ever been in my life, believe me I've made plenty of mistakes in my life, to this day I regret none of them...except the mistake of falling for you years ago, and now all I ask of you is this...leave. me. alone.,"

Toby stayed behind and stopped Bree with a single push to her shoulder, "Don't yah understand, she's moved on with her life...maybe you should too," Toby left Bree to think about her actions. Although Erica did something she thought she'd never do in her life, it was necessary. She wasn't the type to just stand on the sidelines while her ex-mate downgraded her new one, "you OK? Toby asked,

"I'm fine, it's just...," Erica couldn't find an explanation off the top of her head. She sighed and looked into her mate's clover honey eyes and looked away, "It's just...I've never felt this...angry before in my life, and I-," before Erica could finish her sentence, Toby had the perfect remedy. The gray wolf held the harbor seal in her arms, "just want you to hold me," She requested burying her face in Toby's bosom.

"You know I'll never turn down that offer," Toby lightly snickered and wrapped her arms around her mate in the shelter of a back alley way. Toby looked over at Bree and spotted her walking away into the distance, "on the other hand, I do pity her, I suppose happiness doesn't come to everyone," Toby sighed and looked into Erica's green eyes, "maybe she just needs to start fresh, like you...,"

"We better start heading back, I bet the girls are itching to start practice," Erica replied, Toby snickered ready to pull out her guitar for the evening rehearsal. The two mates walked back to Erica's apartment where the girls were setting up for band practice in the parking garage. Stone Hornet jammed into the night in preparation for a concert they had during West Hollywood's Pride month.


End file.
